Paddle mounted for reciprocating motion and ball tethered thereto

ABSTRACT

A relatively slender shaft is provided with a ball bouncing plate fixed at one end thereof and a slidable cylindrical sleeve positioned so as to be reciprocable on the intermediate portion of the shaft. A ball is secured at one end of an elastic tethering cord or the like, and the other end of the tethering cord is secured to the front face of the plate. By grasping the sleeve with one hand and reciprocating the shaft therein with the other hand, the ball may be bounced against the plate repeatedly if proper coordination is used.

United States Patent [191 Petrnselt Mar. 26, 1974 PADDLE MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING MOTION AND BALL TETHEREID THERETO [76] Inventor: Victor Petrusek, 18511 Gottschalk,

Homewood, 111. 60430 22 Filed: July 9,1973

21 A 1.No.;37'/,4M

[52] US. Cl 273/97 R [51] Int. Cl A63!) 63/08 [58] Field of Search 273/95 A, 97 R, 98, 67 R, 273/68 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 529,731 11/1894 Gschwendtner 273/68 3,229,979 1/1966 Smoak 263/97 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Canada 273/97 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind [5 7] SACK A relatively slender shaft is provided with a ball bouncing plate fixed at one end thereof and a slidable cylindrical sleeve positioned so as to be reciprocable on the intermediate portion of the shaft. A ball is secured at one end of an elastic tethering cord or the like, and the other end of the tethering cord is secured to the front face of the plate. By grasping the sleeve with one hand and reciprocating the shaft therein with the other hand, the ball may be bounced against the plate repeatedly if proper coordination is used.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing 1F figures PADDLE MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING Morton AND BALL TETHERED RETO BACKGROUND SUMMARY DRAWINGS This invention relates to new and useful improvements in toy, game and/or exercising apparatus, and in particular the invention concerns itself with what may be called a ball bouncing device, wherein a ball is adapted to be bounced against a plate to which it is tethered by an elastic element.

It is old in the art to provide so-called paddles which have a ball elastically tethered thereto, such paddles usually having a handle portion held by one hand of the user who attempts to manipulate the paddle so as to repeatedly bounce the ball against the paddle in a continuous manner. While some degree of skill and dexterity is required for effective use of such paddles, it is largely a single-handed operation in which the hand with the paddle may readily be moved to meet the oncoming ball. As a result, whatever small amount of skill and dexterity is required can be built up very quickly and, when Once attained, the use of conventional ball bouncing paddles loses much of its fascination, novelty and challenge.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a ball bouncing device which, unlike conventional paddles, involves the coordinated use of both hands along with a substantial amount of body move ment to make such hand coordination possible. Thus, the device of the invention not only requires much more skill and dexterity than conventional paddles, but also retains its fascination and appeal for a longer period of time and provides for more extensive body exercise as well.

The device of the invention is very simple in construction and lends itself to very economical manufacture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a front end view; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a slightly modified embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the ball bouncing device of the invention is designated generally by the numeral and embodies in its construction a slender shaft 11 which is rigidly secured at-one end thereof in any suitable manner to the center of a ball bouncing plate 12. The plate 12 preferably is circular, although not necessarily so, and has what may be referred to as a front face 12a and a rear face 12b, it being noted that the shaft 11 extends rearwardly from the rear face of the plate.

A substantially cylindrical sleeve 13 is slidably positioned on the intermediate portion of the shaft 11 and, if desired, the outer end portion 1 la of the shaft llll may be provided with a suitable stop or abutment 14 as shown in FIG. 4, to prevent the sleeve from sliding off the shaft.

An elastic tethering element 15, such as an elastic cord or the like, is secured at one end thereof to the front face 12a of the plate 12 in any suitable manner, as for example by a staple 16, preferably at a point offset from the center of the plate. The other end of the tethering element 15 is provided with a ball 17.

In operation, the user grasps the free outer end portion 11a of the shaft ill with one hand, for example the right hand 18 as shown in FIG. 1, while grasping the sleeve 13 with the other hand, for example the left hand 19. Then, by holding the sleeve 13' relatively stationary, the user imparts a reciprocating movement to the shaft 11 as indicated by the arrow 20, which reciprocates the plate 112 accordingly, while the shaft 11 slides through the sleeve 13. Reciprocation of the plate 12 causes the resiliently tethered ball 17 to fly to and fro as indicated at 21 and to be bounced off the front face 12a of the plate 12 in a repetitious manner, providing that the device is manipulated and oriented in a coordinated manner to meet the oncoming ball.

It will be appreciated that with one hand holding the sleeve 13 and the other hand reciprocating the shaft 11, a considerable amount of dexterity and coordination is involved in orienting the plate 12 to meet the oncoming ball in a proper manner such as would result in repeated bouncing of the ball against the plate, particularly when, as here, the tethering element 1.5 is secured to the plate eccentrically and the ball bounces off in a direction which is angularly offset from the direction in which it came. The required coordinated use of both hands in manipulation of the device also involves a considerable amount of body movement, so that the interests of both amusement and exercise are served by use of the invention.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment Of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A ball bouncing device, comprising in combination a bouncing plate having front and rear faces, a shaft having one end thereof rigidly secured to said plate and extending rearwardly therefrom, the other end portion of said shaft being adapted to be grasped by one hand of a user, a substantially cylindrical sleeve adapted to be grasped by the other hand of the user and slidably receiving therein the intermediate portion of said shaft whereby said plate may be reciprocated by reciprocation of the shaft in said sleeve when the latter is held relatively stationary, an elastic tethering element secured at one end thereof to said plate, and a ball provided at the other end of said tethering element for bouncing against the front face of said plate when the latter is reciprocated as aforesaid.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said tethering element is secured to the front face of said plate.

said sleeve from sliding off the shaft.

ll l i 1| k 

1. A ball bouncing device, comprising in combination a bouncing plate having front and rear faces, a shaft having one end thereof rigidly secured to said plate and extending rearwardly therefrom, the other end portion of said shaft being adapted to be grasped by one hand of a user, a substantially cylindrical sleeve adapted to be grasped by the other hand of the user and slidably receiving therein the intermediate portion of said shaft whereby said plate may be reciprocated by reciprocation of the shaft in said sleeve when the latter is held relatively stationary, an elastic tethering element secured at one end thereof to said plate, and a ball provided at the other end of said tethering element for bouncing against the front face of said plate when the latter is reciprocated as aforesaid.
 2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said tethering element is secured to the front face of said plate.
 3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said tethering element is secured to the front face of said plate at a point offset from the center of the plate.
 4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate is circular, said shaft being secured centrally to said plate, and said tethering element being secured to the front face of the plate at a point offset from the center thereof.
 5. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a stop provided at said other end of said shaft to prevent said sleeve from sliding off the shaft. 